The HOPE Act and HIV-Positive Organ Donors

Persons living with HIV (PLWH) are often unaware they are eligible to be organ donors.

The HIV Organ Policy Equity (HOPE) Act, enacted in 2013, authorizes organ donation from HIV-positive donors to HIV-positive recipients in the context of clinical research. For PLWH, this act has the potential to increase the donor pool significantly, yet it depends on the willingness of PLWH to be organ donors. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University surveyed HIV clinic attendees in 2016 to determine their knowledge and attitudes about organ donation.

Of the 114 respondents, nearly 50% were female and 91% were African-American. While 80% were aware of the shortage of organs for transplantation, only 25% had heard of the HOPE Act. More than 90% believed that transplantation between PLWH should be studied and 73% saw organ donation by PLWH as …

Reviewing Author

Wendy S. Armstrong, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardNIH Therapeutics and Prevention Data Safety Monitoring Board

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Board of Internal Medicine Infectious Diseases Subspecialty Board (member), Infectious Diseases Society of America (Vice President)

Wendy S. Armstrong, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardNIH Therapeutics and Prevention Data Safety Monitoring Board

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Board of Internal Medicine Infectious Diseases Subspecialty Board (member), Infectious Diseases Society of America (Vice President)

The HOPE Act and HIV-Positive Organ Donors

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Reviewing Author